I Was Offered $500,000 TWICE & I Refused. Here’s Why.
One of the members in my Whatsapp group sent me this really interesting question.
Why don’t I promote myself like some of the other coaches and make double (or more times) the money I make?
To be specific, what he meant was….
Why don’t I create an advertisement where I show plenty of
- Super high-end luxury cars like Rolls Royce, Lamborghini & Ferraris (rented of course)
- Hot Babes in Bikini’s (models on rent)
- Show off my super expensive luxury villa (rented)
- Show tons of money (which some coaches use)
And then weave out a story that
- I was poor, penniless and on the streets (Which I was)
- but today I am earning a 6-figure income per day (which I don’t),
- I have helped so many other people earn 6-figure incomes (Until now, only one student of mine has)
- I can change your life (no one can change anyone else’s life — only they can)
And then aggressively follow THE EXACT SAME STRATEGY most coaches uses and promote the hell out of myself on youtube, google & other social media platforms with a Click-Bait approach — make my millions and retire forever?
So why don’t I do that?
To be honest — it is a good idea.
After all,
- I am not the high watermark for Ethics, Morals & Spirituality.
- I am no saint.
- If I could make easy money — I absolutely would
I mean come on — seriously — If I was offered $100 Million dollars in the bank — you seriously think I would say no???
I don’t know about you buddy — but I would say YES! without even blinking an eye! In fact, I hate to admit this — but I told my wife that if someone had paid me forget $100 million — even $1 Million USD — I would leave her and the baby and disappear into the woods of anonymity forever.
Well — that is the truth my friend — even if you like me or you don’t — I will tell you as it is — For $1,000,000 USD — I would disappear forever.
But then come to think of it… why haven’t I?
In fact, do you know I was offered Half a Million USD?
I am not joking or exaggerating.
If you check my facebook updates — you will see it (don’t remember the exact month & date) but when I was in Dubai, UAE I was offered Half a Million USD BUT on a condition….And the condition was…
- I would get my tattoos removed via laser especially the ones on my face — which would be fully funded and paid by that rich gentleman
- I would convert to Islam
- I would dedicate my life to spreading the word of Islam given that I was an exceptionally good public speaker (at least in his eyes)
I refused.
And just a few days ago, I was once again offered a large sum of money to sell the complete rights to my brand name “Loy Machedo” which would include ALL whatever I had done over the many years.
Now — to be honest with you Half a Million USD upfront is NOT a small sum of money. Its decent but it is still a lot.
In fact, the highest amount of money I have made through a single client (Which those who know me for many years would know this to be true), I made $100,000 courtesy one multi-millionaire client. And I can tell you without a doubt — having $100,000 does help you solve a few problems VERY easily. And it is a nice ‘small’ amount to have in your bank when you are taking care of your day-to-day life.
So now… the question begets…
WHY did I say no to Half a Million USD?
In the first scenario — I can tell you without any hesitation — the gentleman had only good intentions for me. He had known me for many years, he was a good friend and he was doing it out of his good heart because he wanted me to live a good life and have a good future. However, this ‘good life’ was his version of a ‘good life’ — this wasn’t me or my life. It wasn’t my value system or my principle of living. It was me living HIS life, HIS values, HIS vision, HIS principles…. In short it was him wanting me to be LIKE HIM.
And through experience I know for a fact — this is the most suffocating way to live a life. I would have been able to live for a year at the most. But eventually, I would go mad and then snap out of it maybe becoming worse than before.
And in the second offer, I was told to sell off the one thing that meant the world to me — My Personal Brand. A creation of mine I had spent my whole life — it was my identity, my focus, my vision, my mission, my statement, my dream, my life — in short it was ME. And if I had to give it up — I wouldn’t know what else to be.
In fact, you may be surprised to know this — but I even told my wifey before marriage — that if I had to choose between her and the baby on one side and Me, my work and my brand on the other side — without hesitation, I would choose the latter.
Yes, you can hate me as much as you like but this is MY reality.
This is me straight up.
This is NOT me being nice, politically correct or a crowd pleaser.
This is Loy Machedo being Loy Machedo.
And that is exactly why I said No.
Yes, the money would have been great.
Yes, I could enjoy a nice retirement life with that interest in some 3rd world country.
Yes, I could invest this money into something else and live off a the ROI….but I would be living that life…..without purpose.
Its like me informing you — I will chop off your hands, your legs in exchange for a Billion dollars and a life of absolute luxury. I mean seriously — what’s the point of this?
In fact, the very reason I tattooed my face, the very reason I gave up a corporate life, the very reason I broke off from religion, from the people I knew, from my parents, from society — was to live my life on my terms. And today, even if I am not a billionaire or millionaire — I can tell you without a doubt — I am so fucking happy! Each and every day of my life is like a celebration, a party, a festival, a beautiful dream and a perfect life.
In fact, I am so happy every single day — if I did die right now — right now at this very moment — I would have only one — just one regret — that I wasn’t able to stay with my daughter and my wife until they got older and give them the financial security they deserve. Otherwise — seriously — I would have absolutely no regrets.
So now coming to the question the young man put forward to me…
Why am I not taking up the strategy or formula that so many others are taking and making a quick buck?
My answer specifically is as follows — and mind you is has nothing to do with Spiritual values or Character or goodness.
Here are my reasons why I wouldn’t take the approach these others so called coaches have taken:
- MONEY MADNESS
I am not crazy about money, neither am I a slave to it nor am I addicted to it. Yes, I do love money and money is very important. But money is NOT my god. I do enjoy the good things in life money provides but I am not a slave to it.
I have seen other people run, define, chase and base their entire life around money and then seen them lose it all. Best example — my parents. They made tons of money in their late 20 until their 40’s — only to lose it all forever. - IT HAS TO BE IN YOUR DNA
Either you are a good guy or bad guy. Either you are an asshole or blessing. Either you are a winner or whiner. You cannot be both extremes. And if you are — then you have a serious medical condition.
I have met quite a number of people in my life. Some of them have been sick to the core. Some have been amazing human beings to the core. It is something you cannot teach or become.
So with regards to how these people live — it is in their DNA and they can never change it.
That is why in Hindi there is a saying — A Dog’s tail can never be straight. - ITS A 24 HOURS JOB
Let me tell you this much — what these people are doing — they have to do it, be it, play the part and live the part 24/7. You cannot be caught being something else. Because if and when you are caught — your reputation & everything you have worked so hard on — will be destroyed forever - THE WORLD IS WATCHING
Today you have so many forums like Reddit, so many news channels, detectives & online hackers who can easily and I mean easily discover your true identity and reveal it to the world. Don’t think for a minute you are smarter than the entire world. Yes, there have been people who have faked their net-worth, sponsored articles on Forbes or newspapers and even managed to fool the world through fraud, deceit and a twisted mind. But sooner or later — you will be caught. And when that happens….. - ONE MISTAKE — AND YOU ARE FINISHED
The biggest and most obvious answer to why I am not walking down this path is this point. If you are caught and which you will, if you are discovered and which you will be, and if you are exposed — which will happen eventually — that will the end of your reputation forever. And reputation my friend is something you can never buy.
The biggest and only reason for my brands success all these years is because I have told people nothing but the blunt, dirty, horrible truth. And even if I was hated for it — I didn’t care.
The reason — if you say what needs to be said today — tomorrow no one else can expose you.
That is why when anyone tried to tell my clients, my friends or even my current wife about my dark past — all of them just laughed it off.
Why?
Because everything and I mean EVERY SINGLE BAD THING ABOUT ME — I have exposed it online for the world to see.
So what more is left?
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
The problem with today’s world is people assume they are smarter than others, they can get away with fraud, lies, deceit and unethical practices. And the reason for this is easy money.
Yes, these individuals are right — some of them are smarter than most of us, many of them do manage to cheat others and most of them will make it out with a clean bill of health. But I ask — at what price? at what cost? and to what extent? Sooner or later, these individuals do get caught and when they do get exposed — its finished. Game over. And when I say game over — let me remind you — there is no second chance.
The world we live in today is not a perfect place but at the same time is a very cruel, unforgiving, cold and evil place. Yes, it does have a beautiful side to it. But just like a coin having 2 sides — the other side exists and is very real. You can be a flowery optimist and deny any evil on our planet and say “I see only good in others” or you can be a pessimist and say “everyone is a bastard and I trust no one”. I for one, choose to be a realist where I believe good and bad both exists. I just have to be careful which one you choose for the moment.
End of the day, life is all about making choices. The fact of the matter is that there is no guarantee or assurance that if you are good, good things will happen. And if you are bad, bad things will happen. Look no further than the floods that have plagued Kerala, South India. With this disaster — the good, the bad, the ugly — everyone was punished the same. So what was the point of being good?
You must recollect, I told you — if I had to choose between my wife and child — I would still choose me — right? Because the truth is there is absolutely no assurance that tomorrow when my child grows up — my child will look after me, be there for me or even love me. Look at what happened to me and my parents? After everything they did for me — good and bad — I have left them to die. And personally, I don’t care.
In fact, forget me — go to some old age home and have a look at all those old people whom their children have dumped and run off. And no — showing me parents who are being loved by their children will not negate or neutralize the sufferings of these unfortunate beings.
I think in the end — it all comes down to values.
What are your values?
What are your principles?
What systems do you live by?
What is your character?
What is your vision?
What is your purpose?
And the most important of them all….
Who are you?
7 years ago when I was about to commit suicide……..
I dug deep and found the answers to all these questions. And ever since — my life was changed forever. I was able to come out from the depths of poverty and become the global brand I am today.
I think it all comes down to answering these questions…..these few I have mentioned above. Because if and when you can answer them perfectly and in total sync with your true self — you will never need anyone to tell you anything else.
Right, wrong, good, bad, holy and evil — everything will finally make sense to you. And become in the end one — just one — You.
